


Body and Soul

by DorsetGirl



Series: Life on Mars - Survival [1]
Category: Life on Mars & Related Fandoms, Life on Mars (UK)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:28:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29738043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DorsetGirl/pseuds/DorsetGirl
Summary: Sam can’t keep body and soul together any longer.
Relationships: Gene Hunt/Sam Tyler
Series: Life on Mars - Survival [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2185671
Kudos: 3





	Body and Soul

**Author's Note:**

> Originally [posted](https://lifein1973.livejournal.com/1163384.html) to LJ Comm Lifein1973 on 28th April 2008.

~ ~ ~

Sam was finding it difficult to breathe. It didn’t seem to matter.

He wasn’t sure how long you could live anyway with a punctured lung; without warmth and human company.

He wondered how long you could live with voices in your head calling you home; without food and water.

He had no idea how long you could live with broken bones and slowly-dripping wounds; without help.

He didn’t know if anyone could live with this much damage; without Gene.

~ ~ ~

Despite the Summer evening, the ground was cold and wet under his face, chill damp seeping into his clothes and bones. Luckily this time they’d left him on his side; even without the fettered hands he’d given up trying to move days ago. The pain was bigger than he was; it couldn’t be borne, controlled or even isolated. It could be ignored only if he sank into it, let himself fall head-first into the black and red mire; if he made no conscious movements, shifted not a single muscle of the few still under his control.

~ ~ ~

He’d stopped feeling hunger long ago. There was only pain.

_Drink this, copper. Don’t worry, they’ll find you here._ A snigger. _You might even still be alive by then. Did you know you can survive without food for two months? You’ve only done fifteen days so far. Plenty of time left to enjoy it._

He’d begun to despair further back than he could recall. There was only death.

_Belay that, dickhead, someone’ll find him tomorrow. Listen copper, I don’t need to go down for murder. When you wake up, you can call for help. There’s an alley out there; they’ll hear you. Nice knowing you, copper._

As the footsteps faded, he lost control of his body and thrashed feebly in his bonds, vomiting bile as his muscles spasmed uncontrollably.

As the light faded he lost control of his mind, sobbing weakly for release from this place.

~ ~ ~

Pain seeped back with the rain and the daylight. The rain dripped and splashed and echoed. Somewhere drops were landing on something hollow, a lonely, eerie sound from far away or long ago.

_Drip. Splash. Beep._

He’s waking up. Sam? Sam, love? Can you hear me?

_Mum! I’m coming home._

~ ~ ~

Unnoticed behind the fence, the body began to cool.

~ ~ ~


End file.
